Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has taken recent steps with the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland on tackling domestic abuse in Northern Ireland.

As the question rightly implies, responsibility for tackling domestic abuse is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive.

But just as domestic abuse is a society wide issue, so is it an issue for the whole of the UK. The jurisdictions routinely share progress, ideas and collaborate on projects.

This includes the current pilot of a codeword scheme that provides a discreet way for victims of domestic abuse to signal that they need emergency help in 19 Jobcentres across the UK including 4 Jobs and Benefit Offices in Northern Ireland.